Mariah Carey diagnosed with Bipolar Disorder

The woman who blessed the world with the most iconic Christmas song ever has openly discussed her bipolar diagnosis for the first time.

Whilst speaking to People magazine, the singer admitted that over the last few years she's struggled to live with the disorder and decided to seek help.

"Until recently I lived in denial and isolation and in constant fear someone would expose me. It was too heavy a burden to carry and I simply couldn’t do that anymore. I sought and received treatment, I put positive people around me and I got back to doing what I love – writing songs and making music."

Mariah was first diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2001 and "didn't want to believe it".

At the time, she had been hospitalised for a physical and mental breakdown after recording her album Glitter and filming her movie of the same name.

She had also ended her three-year relationship with singer Luis Miguel and at the time, posted this message on her website: "Basically all I really want to say is I don’t know what’s going on with life. I’m trying to understand things in life right now, and so I really don’t feel that I should be doing music right now."

During the interview, Mariah said that for a long time, she thought she had a severe sleep disorder and was exhausted from being overworked when she was actually "experiencing a form of mania", whilst also having episodes that made her "lonely and sad" and "guilty that I wasn’t doing what I needed to be doing for my career".

Mariah explained that she is currently in therapy and is taking medication for her bipolar II disorder, which is less severe than bipolar I.

"I’m actually taking medication that seems to be pretty good. It’s not making me feel too tired or sluggish or anything like that. Finding the proper balance is what is most important.”

"I’m just in a really good place right now, where I’m comfortable discussing my struggles with bipolar II disorder. I’m hopeful we can get to a place where the stigma is lifted from people going through anything alone. It can be incredibly isolating. It does not have to define you and I refuse to allow it to define me or control me."